Container with handle stacking means



June 9, 1953 a. E. COURSEY 2,641,333

I CONTAINER WITH HANDLE STACKING MEANS Filed May 28. 1951 ATTOIYMEYS.

Patented June 9, 1953 CONTAINER. WITH HANDLE STACKING MEANS George E.Coursey Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor .to The Qharles Wm.;DoepkeManufacturing Com pany, Rossmoyne, Ohio, a. corporation of..0hio

A ppIicati'on'MayZS 1951, Serial No. 228,704

e Claims. 1

This invention relates to. a receptacle or box for storing and handlingsmall partsof various kinds, such as nuts, bolts, or othersimilar-articles. it is particularly concerned with a structure of thetype in which the units may be stacked one ontop of another wheninoperativeuse, or when outof use may be nested to occupya minimum ofstorage space. The preferred form of unit is-also so constructed that aplurality of stacked may be arranged in side by side relation.- ship,and'in this positi-on likewise occupy a minimum of storage space.

It is appreciated that in the past container thereof, so- -that when twoor more. are in the stacked'position, the interiors of'the lower con.-tainers are readily accessible from both ends, thereby greatlyfacilitating the handling-of parts in a factory or production line whereadjoining departments are required to utilize the same a parts.

Another object has been to provide a pluralityof container units adaptedto benested-to the maxi-mum degree permitted by the configuration of thestructure, but which when nested will never jam and thereby render itdiflicultto dis-- lodge one unit from the other.

Another object has been to provide a container of the characterdescribed in which a pair of transversely extending shoulders are formedin the base, one at each end thereof. These shoulders engage with theballs of the next lower unit in the stacked position to prevent eitherlongitudinal or transverse movement of the unit, and at the same timeprovide a'transverse reinforcement forthe base of the container.

Another object has been to provide bails necessarily configurated toperform the dual functions of nesting and stacking, but configurated inone plane only, thereby greatly simplifying their manufacture.

Another object has been to provide flange extensions on the outer endsof the side walls of substantial and outwardly increasing width forsupporting the bails in the-nested position and to accomplish thisresult without correspond-- ingly-extending the sidewall ends laterally.

Another object. has been to provide a. .con-

tainer of the character described: from asinglelsheet of metal. orequivalent material cutand formed to the desired. configuration.

Other and further objects: and advantages will. be apparent from. thefurther and more detailed description of a structure comprising.apreferred.

form of the invention when considered imconjunction with :the drawingsin which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a. pair of. units of thetype of. theinvention arranged-.one. ontop. of the other in stacked relationship.

Figure 2 is a perspective: viewof'the same units: arranged in nestedrelationship.

- Figure .3: is a. longitudinal crossrsectional View showing twoboxes inthe nested positionand a; third in. thestacked position.

Figure 4. is an. end view of. one of the units: with the ibails innesting position.

Figure: 5 is" an enlarged fragmentary viewof; the upper right handcorner of Figure 4. with. the bail in stacking position and'the nestingposition. shown. in dotted lines.

Referring now t the drawings for afurtherand more:.detailed descriptionof the invention. the: general nature.- of the structure andthe stacking and nesting. utilities .thereof are clearly ap parent; from. thedrawings. and-particularly Figures I and 2', in. which l0 designates a.unit generally. As: shown, the container is of. gen-- erallyrectangular: configuration. having an openupper face. It is formedpreferably from a sin gle-sheet ofmedium gauge metal. cut and. formedtor the'desired configuration.

The side walls, which are. of identical configuration, are designatedgenerally as H. These walls are: flared outwardly as 'shownparti'cularlyFigure 4. The end wallsv are desig; nated 1 2 and are: also. flared.outwardly to form hoppers. The bottomqisdesignatedas l3. Bails M havetheir outerends journaled in the side walls a'sat F5 and are: adaptedto' be swung from the extended or nesting position, shown for example inFigure 4,. to: the retracted or stacking position, shown'in-full linesin Figure 5. Shoulders it are formed at the upper edges of the. innerfaces of the side walls and thewalls are then continued outwardly toform the flanges Hand again upwardly toform the wallexten, I8 Itis inthese extensions that the bails are journaled. As shown particularlyFigures 1-, 2anid 4. the flanges n are parallel to the base in theircentralsection butincline downwardly from shoulders IE to the end walls.As this downward inclination continues, the flanges widen incorrespondence to the inclination of the side walls so that at theirouter ends they provide relatively wide seats IQ for the bails when thelatter are in stacking position. It will be noted, however, that theextensions l8 remain vertical and straight longitudinally and thisgreatly facilitates the positioning of the units in side by sideposition to occupy a minimum of space.

The details of the construction of'the base i3 are best illustrated inFigure 3. In this view as previously stated, the end walls .12'areinclined outwardly as shown to form hoppers at each end of theunits, so that parts can be deposited in and withdrawn from any desiredunit in a stack. At their lower ends, the end walls l2 are turnedhorizontally inwardly to form the base sections 20 which have theirinner termination points, atv'the shoulders 21. The walls. then ex-vtend downwardly to form the vertical offset-22 and finally areconfigurated horizontally to form the base section l3. These basesections are preferably reinforced at each side of a .unit by the skidstrips 2323 which add strength to the structure and. prevent the wearingout of the base" if J the units are subjected to continuousslidingmovement over a hard surface; such as a cement floor.

The side walls II are preferably secured to the end walls [2 by foldingover flaps 24 at each corner and then spot welding. Beads 25 arepreferably formed at the upper edges of the end walls to add additionalrigidity.

The exact construction of the bails I4 is of considerable importance. Asshown particularly in Figures 4 and 5, they are bent in one plane onlywhich greatly reduces the manufacturing cost. Thearms 26 extendsubstantially parallel to the side wall extensions [8 in both positionswhile the transverse portions 21 are substantially parallel to the endwalls. Offsets 28 are formed at each endof the transverse por-:

tions 21. In the stacked position shown in Figure' '1, the transverseportions 21 of the bails as .defined by the offset portions 28 engagethe notches 29 formed between the sections 20 and 22. The offsetsthemselves engage the corners of the container at the respective ends ofnotch-;; es '29. The bails thus preventthe shifting one unit withrespect to the. other either longitudinally or horizontally when theunits are in stacked position. j

I1 Itwill be noted from Figures 4 and particu: larly that the length ofthe bail arms 26 with relation to the distance between the points l5 atwhich they are journaled in the side walls and the upper ends of the endwalls is such that inithe stacked position the transverse portions 2'Iofthe bails are disposed slightly to the interior of the upper beadededges 25 of the end walls. It will be observed also that the transverseportions 21 of each bail is below the pivot axis of the bail as definedby the journals IS. AS a result of this construction, when the units arein nested position, the upper units are in each case supported by thebails ofthe next lower unit rather than by the inner walls of thecontainer; And no matter how'tightly the upper container is forcedagainst the bails of the next lower one, the instant that the uppercontainer is raised, due to thefact that the transverse portions 2! ofthe balls are below their pivots and must swing outwardly if raised atall, contact;-is im- 4 mediately broken. The containers, therefore,cannot jam and it is a very simple matter to lift out one or more of theupper units by simply elevating the balls of the unit below the lowestone which it is desired to elevate.

The arrangement provided for supporting the units in stacked position isalso particularly effective. As contrasted with more complicatedconstructions in which an actual locking arrangement is provided betweenthe bails of one container and .the base of the one which is su- 1perimposed on it, the engagement here between the notch 29 and the angleformed between the transverse portions 27 of the bails and the offsetportions 28 is entirely adequate for the purpose nestingv position.Since in lighter weight materials there is some tendency of the sides tospring apart and cause the bails to swing downwardly into the interiorof the container, this tendency is completely averted by theconstruction de-.

scribed. A further factor in achieving this re sult is found in the factthat the side wall extensions l8 form a straight line longitudinally.This permits the bail arms 26 tobe positioned very close to the innersurface of the end wall extensions l8 at all times, as will beparticularly noted in Figures 4 and 5, and further prevents the bailends from slipping out of the bores in which they are journaled. a Animportant feature. of the invention is the ease and simplicity of itsmanufacture. As previously stated, the side and end walls are formedfrom a single sheet of metal so that'there is a minimum of fabricationexpense. The bails are likewise configurated in a single operationbecause the configuration'is in one plane only.

, The present container can be used ina num ber of differentgways tofacilitate the handling of small parts. plurality of the containers canbe. stacked in a bank and used in place of conventional small partsbins. ,Since, thecontainers have hoppers;

at bothends; the parts, are availableat both sides of the bank. Also,the offsets 28 on the bails are adapted to, receive hooks so that thecontainers maybe hung from chain conveyors to move parts orsmallsub-assemblies from place tozplace in manufacturing processes utilizingproduction line techniques. H The cointainers in addition can be usedwith out the bails for storing parts on a workbench. In this use, thebails, are removed and: several containers bolted together side bysidewiththe bolts extending through theqbail holes, While the structurewhich has been described and illustrated comprises the preferred form ofthe invention, it-w ill be obvious that various changes and departuresmay be made without departing from the principles of the invention asset out in the ensuing claims. --'.Having fully described by invention,I claim:-

' 1. ;A container for parts or the like comprising a'pai'r'ofoutwardlyflared side walls, apair of outwardly flared end walls and abase; eachof said side walls having acontinuous horizontal In astock'room, for example, a,

manner ing upwardly from thaouteredgeofisai'd flanges,- baiis; journaledin said: extension; portions, one bail being adjacent each end of thecontainer, said, bails. having transverse arms substantially parallelto. the end wallsof the container, the ends. of thetransyerse arm-sbeing adaptedto: be

supported, on the; side: wall flanges, said bails.-

beingadapted to-be swung from: a stacking posi.-- tion in which thetransverse.- arms. are towards the-center of, thecontainer toav nestingposition in} which they are slightly inwardly of theupper. edges, of,the end walls and below the. uppermost. level of the flanges, in saidlatter position said. bails. forming the sole support for. a. like:container, superimposed thereon.

2; A container for parts or the like adapted to" be, selectivelystacked. or nested with, a plurality ofj'like, containers, saidcontainer comprising a pair of outwardly flared side walls, a pair ofoutwardly flared end walls and a base, said end walls. being. lowerthan, the side walls, each of said side walls having a continuoushorizontal flange spaced from the upper edge thereof, said flanges beinginclined downwardly at their ends, bailsj'ournaled in said side wallsatlpoints above said flanges and being adapted to be. supported thereby,one bail being adjacent each end of the container, saidrbail's hayingtransverse port'ions with an offset. adjacent each outer end thereof,said" bails being adapted to be swung irom a stacking position in whichthe transverse; portions are, adjacent the center of the container to anesting position in which they areadjacent, the end walls-thereof, thebase of said container, being configurated toiorm transverse oflsets ateach end thereof, said transverse offsets'ibeing engageable with theoffset portions of the bails of. a lower container when said bails arein stacking position to support said container and to restrain.longitudinal and transversemovementof the upper container'with' respectto saidlower container; v

3. A container for parts or the like adapted to be selectively stackedor nested with a plurality of like containers, said container beingformed from a single sheet of flat material and comprising a pair ofoutwardly flared side walls, a pair of outwardly flared end walls, saidend walls being lower than the side walls and said side walls beinginclined downwardly at their ends to constitute hoppers at each end ofthe container when a plurality of containers are in stacked position,each of said side walls being configurated to provide a continuousoutwardly extending horizontal flange spaced from the upper edgethereof, said flanges being inclined downwardly at their ends, bailsjournaled in the side walls at points above the flanges but below theuppermost level thereof, one bail being adjacent each end of thecontainer, said bails having transverse portions with an offset adjacenteach end of said transverse portions, said bail being adapted to beswung from a stacking positron in which the transverse portions aretowards the center of the container to a nesting position in which theyare adjacent the end walls thereof, the base of the container beingconfigurated to form transverse ledge portions at each end thereof, saidledge portions being engageable with the offsets or the bails of a lowercontainer when said bails are in stacking position to support saidcontainer against movement in any direction and at the same time topermit access to any container in the stack through the hoppers providedat each end of the containers.

III

4. A container'fon parts; or: the like-adapted toalbe: selectivelystacked or nested: with a. plus.- rality" of like containers, saidcontainer: comprise ing apair of outwardly flared side walls, a pair. oroutwardly flared end walls and a base, saidend walls being lower than.the side walls and said side walls being inclined downwardly at theirends to. constitute: hoppers. at. each end. ofthe container whenaplurality of. containers are in: stacked position, each of. said sidewalls the-. ing configurated to: provide a. continuous outweirdly-extending horizontalz'flange spaced from" the upper edgethereof, said. flanges: being in.-';v clined downwardly at their ends,bails-journaledv I name side walls: at points abovethe flanges, one

bail being adjacent. each end of the container,-

said bails being configurated in one plane. only t'oprovide armportionsadapted to' swingparallel to the side walls. of the container,,transverse portions adapted toswing parallel. totherend walls-and offsetportions formed on the transverse; portions adjacent eachendthereofysaid bails being adapted tobe swungrfrorn a stacking posi.-tion in which the transverse arms are towards the center of. thecontainer to a nesting position in which theyare adjacent the end wallsthereof, said offset portions being engageable with the base of an-uppercontainer of like configuration in the stacking position topreventrelative-movement between the two containers.

5; A container for partsor'the' likeiadapt'ed to be selectively stackedor. nested with aplurality, of like containers, said containercomprising a pair of outwardly flared side walls, a. pair of outwardlyflared end walls, and a basesaidien'd'walls being lower than the. sidewalls and said side walls being inclined downwardly at their ends toconstitute hoppers at each end of the container when a plurality ofcontainers are in stacked position, each of. said side walls beingconfigurated to provide a, continuous outwardly extending horizontalflangeispace'd from the upper edge thereof, said flanges being inclineddownwardly at their ends and progressively increasing in width from thepoint at which their downward inclination commences to the ends of thecontainer, bails journaled in the side walls at points above theflanges, one bail being adjacent each end of the container, said bailshaving arm portions adapted to swing parallel to the side walls of thecontainer and closely contiguous thereto and transverse portions adaptedto swing parallel to the end walls, said bails being adapted to be swungfrom a stacking position in which the transverse portions are towardsthe center of the container to a nesting position in which they areinwardly of the end walls thereof, in said latter position the armportions of said bails being supported by the widened portions of theflanges and the transverse portions being engageable with the end wallof an upper container of like configuration.

6. A small parts container or the like comprising outwardly flared sideand end walls and a bottom, said end walls being lower than the sidewalls and flared to a substantially greater degree than said side walls,said side walls slanting downwardly at their respective ends andconstituting end hoppers in conjunction with the respective end walls,the upper margin of each side wall turned outwardly and then upwardly toprovide a continuous ledge at the inner side thereof, a pair of balls,each bail of the pair configurated in a single plane to provide endpivots with arms extending at right angles to the end pivots and atransverse portion'connecting said arms, each bail mounted transverselyof the container adjacent an end thereof with its, end pivots journaledin the respective side walls in the downwardly slanting ends thereofabove the ledges, whereby the ledges are engaged by the arms of thebails when they are swung inwardly toward the center of the container,in which position the bails are adapted to support a similar containerin stacked relationship, and engaged by the arms of the bails when theyare swung toward theend walls, in which position the bails are adaptedto support a similar container in nested relationship.

A small parts container or the like comprising outwardly flared side andend walls and abottom, said end walls being lower than the side wallsand flared to a substantially greater degree than said side walls, saidside Walls slanting downwardly at their respective ends to constitute inconjunction with the respective end walls a pair of end hoppers, theupper margin of" each side wall turned outwardly and then upwardly toprovide a ledge extending the full length thereof, a pairof bails, eachbail of the pair configurated to provide end pivots with arms extendingat right angles to the end pivots and a transverse portion connectingsaid arms, each bail mounted transversely of the container adjacent anend thereof with its respective ends pivotally, journaled in the sidewalls above the ledges and in the downwardly slanting ends thereof,whereby the arms of the bail are adapted to rest upon the ledgesadjacent the end wall with the transverse portion of the bail lower thanthe axis of its-end pivots, and the arms of the bail bein of such a sizethat when in the described position the transverse portion of the bailis spaced inwardly of the end wall.

8. A small parts container comprising outwardly flared side and endwalls and a bottom, said end walls being lower than the side walls, apair of balls, each ball of the pair having'end pivots with armsextending at right angles to the end pivots and a transverse portionconnecting the arms, eachbail pivotally journaled in the respective sidewalls adjacent one end of the container in'such a position that when thebail is swun outwardly the transverse portion is parallel to but spacedinwardly from the end wall, and means supporting the bail in the outwardposition with its transverse portion below the axis of its end pivotswhere it is, engageable with the end wall of a second like containernested therein.

I 9. A small parts container comprising outwardly flared side and endwalls and a bottom, said end walls being lower than said side walls andflared to a substantially greater degree than said sidewalls, a pair ofbails, each bail of the pair Having ,a pair of end pivots disposed upona common axis and a transverse portion disposed in spaced parallelrelationship with respect to said :axis, each bail having its end pivotsjournaled in the respective side walls adjacent an end of the containerin such a position that the bail may be swung into an outwardly anddownwardly angulated positionin which the transverse portion is parallelto, but spaced inwardly from, the adjacent end wall and below the axisof said end pivots, and means supporting said bail in said positionwhere it is engageable with the end wall of a second like containernested therein.

GEORGE E. COURSEY. 1

References Cited in the m of this patent UNITEDSTATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,308,824 Walker July 8, 1919 1,447,800 McLennan et al. Mar.6, 1923 1,862,609 Shaw June 14, 1932 2,061,414 Tufts et al. Nov. 1'7,1936 2,224,818 Hovorka Dec. 10, 1940

